Student Mental Health Intervention Officers

What do we do?

We know that university can be a high-pressured environment and that you may be struggling to cope with all of the demands on you. This may sometimes result in feeling stressed, anxious, or experiencing low mood or other mental health difficulties. Here at Imperial, we want to make sure you are supported not only academically but also with your mental health and wellbeing.

The Student Mental Health Intervention Officers can provide support and guidance on a wide range of mental health and wellbeing services both internally and externally.

Please get in touch with us by completing our online form if:

• You are experiencing mental health difficulties or
• You are concerned about a friend or another student at Imperial who is struggling

Please note that all our support is open to students at all levels and that our services are only accessible to students currently residing within the UK.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your mental health whilst outside of the UK, please consider referring to the below for support:

CALM Zone

Our referral system is currently accepting submissions Mon - Fri 08:00 - 17:00. Please note - any referrals submitted after 4pm will be reviewed the next working day. If you or someone else need urgent support please see: Other sources of help

What can we support you with?

If you are concerned about yourself or another student and you’re not quite sure where to go, the Mental Health Intervention Officers are here to help support and signpost you to the appropriate services.

This is usually offered through a triage appointment rather than regular ongoing appointments thus is different from the other parts of our Service, like Counselling or Mental Health Advice, however the Intervention Officers can refer you on to one of these other services if appropriate.

Please contact us if you are experiencing any of the below and finding them unmanageable:

• Severe emotional distress
• Anxiety or stress
• Depression
• Mental health difficulties
• Erratic or disruptive behaviour
• Reduced engagement with studies due to mental health distress
• Suicidal thinking or intent to act on suicidal thoughts
• Thoughts about wanting to harm yourself or someone else

When a student isn't responding to you

We understand that it can be really concerning when you haven't heard from a student in a while and they aren't responding to your calls or emails. There may be many reasons why a student has disengaged, some of which may be due to their mental health. If you are making a referral because you have not heard from a student in a while and you are concerned, you must first consider following the missing students policy which you can find here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/administration-and-support-services/estates-facilities/public/security/Imperial-College-Missing-Student-Policy.pdf

Our team are here to support the student and you as the referrer in these circumstances. We encourage you to still make a referral if you feel that the student could benefit from mental health support but please do consider following the Missing Students Policy before making a referral so ensure the student is supported appropriately and as quickly as possible. 

How to make a referral

To make a referral, please complete the online form. Just select the Concerned About a Student Form. You can use the form to contact us for yourself or someone you are worried about. We maintain anonymity throughout this process and would not inform the student of who referred them. This allows us to provide mental health support to students in need who may be struggling to reach out for support.

When we hear from you, the Student Mental Health Interventions Officers will make contact to arrange a conversation which will allow us to provide the most suitable support.

Following our meeting, we will consider:

• Signposting you to an external mental health service
• Refering you to our Mental Health Advisers or Counsellors
• Linking you in with internal student support services around the college

Please note that our services are only accessible to students currently residing within the UK.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your mental health whilst outside of the UK, please consider referring to the below for support:

CALM Zone

CALM Zone is a UK based Mental Health Charity, which has created a list of Mental Health Charities in different countries, who may be able to provide help and support for students outside the UK.

Who should I contact?

If you are unsure of whether you might want to contact our service, the three categories below may help you in making your decision